Hide Tide
by samiesimpson1
Summary: The sword rips through each dummy, leaving limbs strewn across the floor. I stare at my work with pride, only to be interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. I whip my head around, and stare into the icy blue eyes of the male from 2. He narrows his eyes at me, "That's my sword." "Really? I don't see your name on it."
1. A Trained Killer

I flick my wrist and let the knife leave my hand. It soars through the air, spinning multiple times before hitting the target in the center.

"The reaping is going to start in a few hours. You better go get ready if you wanna be on time."

The voice startles me for a moment until I realize who it is. I turn around to see Breckin smiling at me. Returning the grin, I make my way over to the bullseye and pull my knives out.

"Whatever," I place the weapons back on the rack and walk past Breckin.

"You're gonna win the games, ya know," he looks me straight in the eyes.

"I know," I shrug and brush a few auburn hairs out of my face.

"You aren't really known for your modesty, are you?"

I chuckle a little and exit the room to go get ready.

* * *

The sun is just rising as I walk along the gravel road. My ponytail swings back and forth with each step I take. I wear a teal dress with long sleeves that stops at mid-thigh.

The gong in the town square goes off, telling all of District 4 that the reaping is about to start.

I stand in the crowd of thousands of other teenagers. Only two of us will be off to the Capitol today, and I know one of them will be me.

Our escort, Sephora Lanson, claps her hands together, leans into the microphone, and smiles, "Hello my little children! Are you ready to see who will bravely be representing District 4 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games?"

Some of the crowd cheers along with her, but others glare up at her. I am one of the latter. To be honest, I can't stand the way that Capitol people dress, act, and speak, but I can't wait until I can volunteer.

I look at Sephora. Her hair is dyed a dark shade of blue and styled in some sort of beehive on top of her head. The dress she wears matches her hair color exactly, and it is practically covered in sparkles.

She continues after the crowd dies down, "Let's start with the ladies!"

Sephora parades over to the clear glass bowl, her heels clacking against the concrete stage. She lowers a plump, purple hand into the bowl and swirls her hand around, trying to find the perfect tribute. Too bad I'll be volunteering. She finally grabs a slip and marches back to the microphone.

"And the female tribute is," Sephora unfolds the paper, "Marren Walt-"

"I volunteer!" I interject, shooting my left hand into the air.

I approach the stage with a wicked grin on my face. The girls in my section leave me a path to the stage, obviously frightened.

"Wonderful! It looks like we have a volunteer! What is your name, darling?" Sephora beams at me.

"Cora Ives." My words are full of confidence as a smirk crosses my face.

"And how old are you, my dear?"

"17 years old."

"Lovely! Now let's head to the gentlemen's bowl!"

Sephora makes her way over to the bowl, and she pulls out a slip.

"Our next tribute is," she pauses for effect as she opens the paper, "Jackson Kauai!"

A small boy, maybe 12, timidly stumbles out from the crowd. He's pathetic, with tears streaming down his face. I am almost embarrassed to have him as a district partner.

"Your such a darling!" Sephora looks down at him and ruffles his brown curls.

"Okay! Shake hands, you two!"

I reluctantly reach my hand out to him, and we shake hands. I don't stop glaring at him the whole time. I can tell he fears me.

* * *

My nails tap against the hand rest on the red sofa in the Justice Building as I wait impatiently for my visitors.

I think about my strategy. Go in and kill them all. Simple enough.

My first visitor is Breckin. He grins at me. "Your first impression was great! Even I was kinda scared of you."

I chuckle, "You should be scared."

His smile fades, "Yeah. Just be careful, and kick some District 2 butt for me." Tears form in Breckin's eyes. Just last year, his brother was killed in the finale by the boy from District Two. Crimson Larek was his name, I think. I remember it like it was yesterday.

"Definitely."

Just then, a peacekeeper comes in and pulls my best friend away from me.

A few minutes later, the wooden door bursts open again, and my whole family comes rushing in. I hug my twin baby brothers and tell them that I'll see them in a few weeks.

My mother approaches me with tear stained cheeks and wide eyes. "Why would you volunteer for something like _this_?"

"I had to, Mother. I've trained my whole life, and honestly, it's what I wanted to do."

She shakes her head in disapproval. "I just can't believe that in a few days I'll be seeing my innocent little daughter killing children."

"You think I'm innocent? I would think about that again if I were you." The last sentence comes out in nothing more than a whisper. She takes the silence as a chance to wipe her new fallen tears and leave the room with my brothers.

My dad takes a seat next to me and stares straight into my eyes. "Be strong in there. Don't trust anyone. Expect the unexpected. And do whatever it takes to stay alive. Just make your father proud."

"Of course, Dad. But this isn't goodbye."

"I know. You most certainly will be coming back to District 4." He smiles and leaves the room.

He's right. I will stop at nothing to bring pride to District 4. I will stop at nothing to come home.

* * *

**hayhayhay! I love this character and I was thinking of how I could use her. I was looking through the profile I made for her and realized that her personality is very similar to Cato's, and of course, that gave me an idea ;) the next chapter will be the tribute parade and the first interaction with Cato YAYAYAYAYAYAY! Please review... But NO FLAMES! thanks guys :)**


	2. Meet the Mentor

I stare in awe at all the food shown before me. Jackson has already dashed over to the table to start his meal, but I can't move. It's such a change.

A strong hand clasps around my shoulder, "It was a big shock for me, too."

The man who stands behind me reeks of some Capitol perfume. I don't respond, and the man stands in front of me and I automatically recognize him.

"Finnick Odair." He reaches his hand out for mine.

"I know who you are." I ignore his hand and greet him bluntly.

"Of course you do. Take a seat." Finnick sits down at the table and motions to the chair across from him.

The chair he tells me to sit in is also next to Jackson, who is stuffing his face with cake at the moment. So, I sit in the chair but move it a few inches away from Jackson. Finnick lets out a small laugh at my distaste for Jackson.

"Alright. Now tell me about your talents."

Jackson doesn't even look up from his food.

"I doubt Cry Baby over here doesn't have any talents." I point at the slob next to me.

Finnick's facial expression doesn't change, so I continue, "But, I am excellent with a knife and spear, good with a sword, and okay with an axe. I have trained my whole life for this, and I already have a strategy, so I won't be needing you to give me one."

Finnick just looks at me, as if trying to read my thoughts.

He nods, "I see. Now tell me your strategy."

"Get in with the Careers and scare all the rest of the tributes. Then when the Games begin, go in and kill as many people as possible in the bloodbath. Then hunt for tributes with the Careers. Then finally when the Careers decide to split up, I kill all of them."

"And what do you do if you're not good enough for the Careers?"

"Oh please. I'll practically run the Careers. I'm ten times better than you with a trident, and that's not even my main weapon."

"I dare you to keep that attitude up." Anger flashes in his dark green eyes.

"What attitude?" I ask innocently, "I'm just telling the truth."

I may be exaggerating a little, but I am very good with a variety of weapons.

"Fine. Just tell me something you're not good at."

"Hand to hand combat."

"Okay, then just make sure you always have a weapon on you."

"Really? Thanks for the advice!" I exclaim, sarcasm dripping off each syllable.

Finnick opens his mouth to retaliate, but is interrupted by Sephora's high-pitched squeals, "We are just pulling into the Capitol now!"

I roll my eyes and approach the window. Jackson finally lifts his head out of his food to get his first glimpse of the Capitol. He stares out at the horizon with his jaw dropped.

"It's time to get to the building. We'll be on our way." Sephora motions to the exit, and I follow behind.

The metal train door slides open. I step off the train behind Finnick and Sephora. The flashing of cameras blinds me for a moment, but that doesn't stop me from glowering at the reporters. They scream my name, practically shoving their microphones in my face.

"Just ignore them," Finnick advises Jackson and me.

I nod, still struggling to control my temper as I fight through the crowd. We approach the building where the tributes will stay for the next few days after minutes of pushing through the crowd.

Sephora lets out an exasperated sigh when the doors of our District 4 compartment close. We are staying in a large area with a living room full of tan and blue colored items. I notice four bedroom doors, and one with my name on it.

"It is now time to watch the Reapings. We all stuff onto a plush tan couch. I am uncomfortably squished in between Sephora and Finnick.

Sephora grabs a black remote control, and turns on the tv. Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith are in the middle of chatting about irrelevant things. Finnick picks up three notepads, handing one to Jackson and one to me. He keeps one for himself and begins to label his notes.

District 1 is the usual, a boy who seems to air-headed to be too much of a threat, but probably has some skill with a few weapons, and a girl who is too obsessed with vanity than anything else. Their names are Marvel and Glimmer.

In District 2, a dark haired girl who looks about 16 volunteers. Her name is Clove, and she will almost definitely be a threat. The boy also volunteers. He makes his way up to the stage, flexing his muscles and fist pumping the whole way. When he reaches the microphone, the escort asks for his name.

"Your next victor," he responds, getting laughs and chants from the District 2 crowd.

"For real, though." The escort smiles at the boy dreamily.

"Cato Larek." He flexes his muscles even more.

I scoff at him and mutter under my breath, "Idiot."

Finnick laughs at my comment, which confuses me.

"What?"

"Nothing," he continues to chuckle.

I scribble down notes, raising my head every few seconds to watch the television.

The tributes from 3 look intelligent, but weak. The girl is crying, and I shake my head as I write the notes for her.

When the District 4 Reaping comes on I turn all my attention to the screen. I watch as Marren Walters is reaped. I volunteer, and the camera searches for me. The camera focuses on me when I approach the stage confidently.

"Wonderful! It looks like we have a volunteer! What is your name, darling?"

"Cora Ives."

I smile at the thought of other tributes taking notes and marking me as a threat.

When Jackson is reaped, I just take little notes about crying when he is scared and things like that.

The rest of the tributes are useless, except the boy from 11, who is as big, if not bigger, than the male from 2. His partner in a small girl, 13 years old at most.

District 12 supplies two blondes, one about 16 and the other a 12 year old girl. When the girl is reaped, a teenage girl with dark brown hair screams for her and tries to push her way through peacekeepers. The peacekeepers drag the girl away, and the camera zooms in on the blonde's watery eyes. She wipes a few tears, then moves toward the stage.

"What is your name, Sweetie?" The escort asks.

"Primrose Everdeen." Her voice comes out sounding stronger than I expected, and even she looks a little surprised. I write a few notes then turn back to the television.

Caesar and Claudius return to the screen.

"Well, Claudius, this is a very interesting bunch we have this year!"

"I agree," Claudius nods his head, smiling and giggling.

Sephora turns the television off as peacekeepers come bursting through our doors.

"It is time for the tributes to prepare for the parade," one of them states.

"Of course! Cora and Jackson, you must follow the peacekeepers to your preparation team." Sephora motions for us to leave.

Finnick stops us on our way out, "Whatever you do, make sure you stay on your prep team's good side. If they tell you to do something, you do it." I nod and follow the peacekeepers.

* * *

**I know, I know! I promised some Cato but the chapter would have been waaaayyyy too long! I want to thank everyone who favorited or followed and I also want give special thanks to Darkus Rose Gurl for reviewing! I love every person who fav/followed and reviewed! Just a reminder: THE MORE REVIEWS I GET, THE SOONER I UPDATE! Thanks ly all! ~Samie :)**


End file.
